Michael Laudrup was appointed as the manager of Swansea City following a
ringing endorsement from one of Welsh football’s most celebrated players.

The Daily Telegraph understands that although club chairman Huw Jenkins made the former Denmark international an immediate target to replace new Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, his decision to pursue Laudrup gathered speed following an informal chat with former Swansea and Wales striker John Toshack, who spent more than 17 seasons managing in Spain.

More recently, the former Wales manager, who was in charge at Real Sociedad and Deportivo while Laudrup was playing for Real Madrid and Barcelona, has been working alongside the Dane as a TV pundit in Spain.

The appointment, initially for two years, ended nearly three weeks of intense speculation over who would succeed Rodgers. Blackpool manager Ian Holloway, Brighton’s Gus Poyet, Wigan assistant Graeme Jones and former French captain Marcel Desailly were all mentioned as possible candidates, before Laudrup emerged earlier this week as the bookies’ odds-on favourite.

Jenkins, rightly applauded for a succession of significant managerial appointments in recent seasons, said: “Michael has a clear picture and understanding of what we require at Swansea City to build on all the good work and strides we have made over the last few years as a football club.

“Everyone I’ve spoken to about Michael during the appointment process can’t speak highly enough about him; not just as a football person, but as a man.”

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Swansea’s fourth manager in as many years, Laudrup has enjoyed managerial experience with the likes of Brondby, Getafe, Spartak Moscow and most recently Real Mallorca. However, having resigned as Mallorca manager last September, after 14 months in charge, he has spent the past nine months out of work.